MJWC: Indian lads dazzle in victory over Dutch
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| India |
July 2, 2005
Deccan Herald
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From Anand Philar Rotterdam:
Coming up with an impressive performance, the Indians swamped the Dutchmen 4-1 while Spain scored a lop-sided 6-0 victory over Mexico.
With a rare display of team effort, India outclassed the Netherlands 4-1 in their concluding pool D fixture of the Rabobank Junior World Cup hockey tournament for men at the sunny Hockey Club Rotterdam, here on Saturday. From India’s point of view, the victory has more significance as they carry forward six points into the second phase that commences on Sunday.
More than the victory, the ease with which the Indians demolished the Dutch was astonishing. Penalty corner specialist Sandeep Singh (12th, 60th) and striker Tushar Khandekar (15th, 62nd) were outstanding not only because they scored twice apiece, but held the team together in the back and front.
The Dutch, barring the 38th minute penalty corner goal by Sjcerd Steller, had barely a good look at the Indian goal. Surely, one has not seen a Dutch performance as mediocre as today’s. There was no combination in the front, the midfield play was sloppy and the defence, but for goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann, was as shaky as one can imagine.
In effect, the Indians should have run up a tennis score win had their forwards been on target. They messed up at least four sitters and that pegged the scoreline.
India opened the floodgates when Sandeep drag-flicked to the net in the 12th minute and almost immediately, Khandekar finished a brilliant counter-attack that involved Nithin Kumar and Vinaya, who provided the final pass. Thereafter, a few opportunities came and went for India as they went into the breather leading 2-0.
Soon after the re-start, the Dutch struck from a penalty corner, but the Indians kept their composure and kept pressure on the rival defence. Goals eluded the Indians until the final minutes when Sandeep came good with yet another penalty corner for his sixth goal of the tournament and then Khandekar completed a fine Nithin Kumar-Hari Prasad move to provide the finishing touches.
Spain rounded off their league engagements with a 6-0 win against Mexico in Pool A to finish second behind Korea.
Germany qualify
Earlier, Malaysia, despite losing 5-7 to Germany, managed to scramble into the second round after Argentina beat South Africa 1-0 through Lucas Vila’s effort. The results meant that Argentina, with three wins, topped Pool B, followed by Germany and Malaysia while South Africa, having lost all their matches, ended up at the bottom.
The Germans led 2-0 and 5-1, but the Malaysians kept themselves in the reckoning, thanks to a four-goal effort by their penalty corner specialist Zulfikil Mohd Rejab and a strike by Ismail Abu.
For the Germans, Theo Stralkowski (9th, 20th), Moritz Fuerste (29th, 31st), Oliver Korn (38th), Tim Blasberg (48th) and Jonathan Froeschle (58th) scored.
Pakistan lose
Playing their best game yet so far, Pakistan put up a strong challenge against Australia, but just did not sustain the pressure and went down 2-3 in a pool C match. Pakistanis went ahead past the 29th when Aziz Tariq reverse hit a pass from Ali Muhammad Akhtar, but the Aussies retaliated with an equaliser in the very next minute, Iain Smyth pushing home a rebound from close on the third attempt.
The Aussies came roaring back after change of ends. Two snap goals by Colin Hennessey early in the half virtually took the game away from Pakistan who though made it 2-3 on a Shakeel Abbasi strike in the 55th.
Earlier, Belgium squeaked through 2-0 against Chile 2-0 for their first win in Pool D and progress to the second round. Goals by Henry Cavenaile (5th) and Jerome Truyens (39th) set up Belgian victory.
Sunday’s fixtures (all IST): Pakistan vs Germany (2.30 pm); Australia vs Malaysia (3.30 pm); Spain vs India (5.30 pm); Korea vs Poland (6.30 pm); England vs Netherlands (7.30 pm); Argentina vs Belgium (9.30 pm).
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